About Spark and Flow
II believe every human is a builder and a creator, searching for their spark. Spark & Flow blends academics, behavior support, creativity, athletics, entrepreneurship, and technology to help students align mind, body, and imagination.
In individualized tutoring sessions, I integrate academic support with movement-based strategies and creative learning tools. This approach helps students strengthen their skills while building confidence, flow, and self-direction.
I meet each learner where they are, with curiosity, empathy, and respect. Whether a student needs academic support, help building routines, or guidance in channeling energy into creative or athletic goals, I provide tools to spark growth in every dimension.
At Spark & Flow, learning isn’t just about schoolwork — it’s about mindset. I help students discover how focus, creativity, and movement work together to build confidence and lasting motivation.
Spark & Flow is currently a one-educator practice, founded and run by me.
Coming soon: I plan to expand by partnering with a small team of Minnesota-licensed special education teachers whom I personally know, trust, and have worked with.
About the Founder
David Nolan, B.S. | Licensed K–12 Academic & Behavioral Strategist
Founder, Spark & Flow: Tutoring State of Mind
I wasn’t a straight-A student. I was endlessly curious and full of energy, but I often struggled to find meaning in classrooms that felt disconnected from real life. My love for learning began outdoors, running around with my cousins and sisters at our cabin, measuring, cutting, and building our treehouse with raw wood and a bucket of nails. It grew around backyard bonfires, where marshmallow roasting turned into science experiments and storytelling lessons, all while we stared into the beauty and mystery of the flames.
My love of math, physics, and creating didn’t grow out of a textbook. It formed in the countless variables we calculated during the neighborhood baseball and football mini-games we invented. My sense of shape and design didn’t develop while sitting at a desk. It took root in French and Japanese kitchens in Seattle and Minneapolis, where I learned how creativity, rhythm, and collaboration can turn chaos into harmony. Later, I helped design, manage, and build two successful restaurants from the ground up, discovering that creation itself is education in motion.
When I eventually returned to school, I found my spark again — this time in educational psychology and philosophy. I immersed myself in thinkers like Viktor Frankl, Daniel Kahneman, Malcolm Gladwell, Neil Theise, and the new generation of cognitive explorers blending science with soul. I graduated on the Dean’s List, but more importantly, I learned that intelligence isn’t measured by grades. It lives in interest, connection, and the courage to stay curious.
As a licensed K–12 Academic and Behavioral Strategist in Minnesota, I now help students rediscover what learning can be when it’s rooted in curiosity, purpose, and flow. Through Spark & Flow, I integrate academics, behavior support, and creative and athletic movement — helping students bridge the gap between focus and freedom, discipline and play, spark and flow.
Outside of teaching, I hike, climb, and practice yoga. I still play basketball when I can and stay connected to the game through coaching students. Time with my niece, sisters, and family keeps me centered and connected. These practices remind me that growth isn’t perfection; it’s rhythm, reflection, and moving toward the good, one intentional choice at a time.
Contact us
Every student’s journey starts with a single step, or in our case, a spark. Tell us a bit about your goals or your learner’s needs, and we’ll follow up to discuss how Spark & Flow can support growth through personalized learning, creativity, and movement.